Part 60 (2/2)

”No, no,” answered Magnus, ”it is the sloop which the Jagger told us of.

But I will take your advice--I will have patience for these girls'

sakes; yet”----

He had no time to conclude the sentence, for Bunce jumped on board with his party, and drawing his cutla.s.s, struck it upon the companion-ladder, and declared the s.h.i.+p was theirs.

”By what warrant or authority do you stop us on the high seas?” said Magnus.

”Here are half a dozen of warrants,” said Bunce, showing the pistols which were hung round him, according to a pirate-fas.h.i.+on already mentioned, ”choose which you like, old gentleman, and you shall have the perusal of it presently.”

”That is to say, you intend to rob us?” said Magnus.--”So be it--we have no means to help it--only be civil to the women, and take what you please from the vessel. There is not much, but I will and can make it worth more, if you use us well.”

”Civil to the women!” said Fletcher, who had also come on board with the gang--”when were we else than civil to them? ay, and kind to boot?--Look here, Jack Bunce!--what a trim-going little thing here is!--By G--, she shall make a cruize with us, come of old Squaretoes what will!”

He seized upon the terrified Brenda with one hand, and insolently pulled back with the other the hood of the mantle in which she had m.u.f.fled herself.

”Help, father!--help, Minna!” exclaimed the affrighted girl; unconscious, at the moment, that they were unable to render her a.s.sistance.

Magnus again uplifted the handspike, but Bunce stopped his hand.--”Avast, father!” he said, ”or you will make a bad voyage of it presently--And you, Fletcher, let go the girl!”

”And, d----n me! why should I let her go?” said Fletcher.

”Because I command you, d.i.c.k,” said the other, ”and because I'll make it a quarrel else.--And now let me know, beauties, is there one of you bears that queer heathen name of Minna, for which I have a certain sort of regard?”

”Gallant sir!” said Halcro, ”unquestionably it is because you have some poetry in your heart.”

”I have had enough of it in my mouth in my time,” answered Bunce; ”but that day is by, old gentleman--however, I shall soon find out which of these girls is Minna.--Throw back your m.u.f.flings from your faces, and don't be afraid, my Lindamiras; no one here shall meddle with you to do you wrong. On my soul, two pretty wenches!--I wish I were at sea in an egg-sh.e.l.l, and a rock under my lee-bow, if I would wish a better leaguer-la.s.s than the worst of them!--Hark you, my girls; which of you would like to swing in a rover's hammock?--you should have gold for the gathering!”

The terrified maidens clung close together, and grew pale at the bold and familiar language of the desperate libertine.

”Nay, don't be frightened,” said he; ”no one shall serve under the n.o.ble Altamont but by her own free choice--there is no pressing amongst gentlemen of fortune. And do not look so shy upon me neither, as if I spoke of what you never thought of before. One of you, at least, has heard of Captain Cleveland, the Rover.”

Brenda grew still paler, but the blood mounted at once in Minna's cheeks, on hearing the name of her lover thus unexpectedly introduced; for the scene was in itself so confounding, that the idea of the vessel's being the consort of which Cleveland had spoken at Burgh-Westra, had occurred to no one save the Udaller.

”I see how it is,” said Bunce, with a familiar nod, ”and I will hold my course accordingly.--You need not be afraid of any injury, father,” he added, addressing Magnus familiarly; ”and though I have made many a pretty girl pay tribute in my time, yet yours shall go ash.o.r.e without either wrong or ransom.”

”If you will a.s.sure me of that,” said Magnus; ”you are as welcome to the brig and cargo, as ever I made man welcome to a can of punch.”

”And it is no bad thing that same can of punch,” said Bunce, ”if we had any one here that could mix it well.”

”I will do it,” said Claud Halcro, ”with any man that ever squeezed lemon--Eric Scambester, the punch-maker of Burgh-Westra, being alone excepted.”

”And you are within a grapnel's length of him, too,” said the Udaller.--”Go down below, my girls,” he added, ”and send up the rare old man, and the punch-bowl.”

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